~ New Beginnings ~ Initiation ~ ReBirth ~
Pluto in Capricorn, purifying and transforming what you are truly responsible for, which is ultimately your contribution. Venus Retrograde in Aries at the beginning of 2009, rebirthing your identity to reflect your new values and priorities ... so that by the end of the year, when Mars Retrogrades in Leo, you are prepared to put in to action this newfound Self-Love with the full knowledge and understanding that, until you deeply and truly love yourself, you will not be able to fully understand or embrace the concept of loving others and therefore, will still "feel" isolated, separated and left out. Remember the other Mars/Leo lesson is managing your ego drives. When your ego drives are imbalanced, you may feel SEPARATE from your Source ~ separate from your eternal truth ~ and constantly chasing something just out of reach because you've forgotten it is WITHIN YOU. (Our canine relatives would tell you that is 'chasing your tail', which looks pretty silly and gets you nowhere.)
SO ... A new beginning ~ fresh start ~ clean slate ... and who better to assist with clearing the debris and releasing the non-essential to make *room* for your 'new beginning' ~ than Pluto, Lord of Purification & Transformation. Your essential nature (Sun) and the purest, deepest part of you (Pluto) connect in a rhythm every year, four times a year for the next 16 years that Pluto is in Capricorn. As it reshapes you from the inside out, so too will the collective shapeshift.
The *Initiation is Winter Solstice, when Sun/Pluto get together, increase each other's power to purify you and your intentions for the coming new year. They advise, "First, you must rest, replenish, mature and gather strength (power)." *Spring and *Fall Equinox, when Sun/Pluto have to consciously work out their differences, and you are moved to a new level of understanding by choice or by force, it's up to you and your consciousness to decide. Both Equinoxes bring the push to the next level in their individual ways. *Spring Equinox is about initiation, new beginnings, getting things moving in a forward direction. *Fall Equinox is about assessment of the harvest, how productive and effective you have been throughout the year. Both require decisions and are dynamic in nature, facilitating actual change. *Summer Solstice, when Sun/Pluto have to balance and integrate all that you've initiated at Spring-time; it's a time of blossoming and expanding and you are moved to accommodate all that you've created in new, innovative ways.
The whole year is about rhythm! And just imagine if you start off on a GOOD FOOT! You have excellent support from Mars (action) and Pluto (transformation), as your lower will and Higher will are in alignment and you have the energy to apply much of what you've learned lately into anchoring your new Being. This energy will give you the determination to succeed despite the tough choices you have to make about the essence of who you are (Sun) and what is most important and valuable to you (Venus). You are *READY*!! Don't look back, practice presence & mindfulness and apply new strategies for living.